I see a lot of people running around with their hair on fire on the North Umpqua. Racing up and down the river in a frenzy, trying to get to places first. Driving into pullouts like Mario Andretti, trying to win at Indy. Like the guy at the Gorge run a couple days ago. I was already in the pullout driving slow to the middle parking area when a guy races in from upstream and beats me there. I was clearly in the pullout and diving slow with rods on my truck, set to pull over and fish. I wasn't going to race him. Lets just say his car was stopped sooner, but I was there first. Who cares really you say? Well I do and here's why.....

 I roll over to him and put my window down and say " Hey how's it going man, where are you going to fish?" He jumps out of his rig real quick and gets all bowed up and starts grabbing his rod like if he has it in his hand he gets the run.  He says " The Gorge" and I say " yeah no kidding,I figured that much since that's where we are.  Are you gonna fish all of it"?  There are three distinct sections there thus the reason for my inquiry.  My purpose was to try and communicate with this guy and see what he was gonna fish and maybe we could have worked something out and both been able to fish some of the water in there.  You know, share some water, which could have easily been done.  I was also hoping that if I talked to him for a second he would realize it's all OK, I was just out  fishing like him, and he can slow down and relax a little.  I was also hoping that in talking with me he would offer me a chance to fish the upper or lower section knowing he was a little hasty and possibly out of line for racing me to the spot.  None of that happened.  Communication is always good on the river and something that I try to pursue when the opportunity arises. It is also something that is truly lacking the last few years.  Any way he says, "No were fishing all of it"!!!  "Well OK, that's fine have a good night" I say as I drive off slowly.  Now I could care less that he got the run and I wasn't going to make a big deal about it.  I know the river well enough that I always have a plan B and beyond.  My point is, I tried to have a friendly interaction and was met with someone who was all about themselves and what they wanted to do.  He was in such a hurry to beat me to the run that he forgot he was just fishing and it was supposed to be fun.  I could see in his eyes that he needed to fish that run more than me. Have at it buddy, knock yourself out.  He was spinning his wheels!

That's not the way the river and it's history were passed down. It's not the way I will show the river to people either. Sure there has always been competition and friendly rivalries but that's what they were, friendly.  Sure, the early risers got the first shot at the run and that's fair and the way the game has always been played.  Now days it's gone to the extreme.  People are going to ridiculous lengths to fish some runs in the Campwater. Guys spending hours before sun up waiting for the Station. That's fine and all but it just makes a competition out of a leisure sport.  I don't fish to compete.

 Many have learned or are learning bad etiquette from others.  Many of those anglers that are supposed to be leaders are not leading well and that is now the legacy that is being passed on.  The 5 miles below Steamboat Creek has become so crowded that I often avoid it all together, maybe fishing a small percentage of the runs I used to fish.  They can have it all.  I would rather fish the upper river or the lower river in relative peace than deal with the dog and pony show that has evolved in the last few years.  Little does everyone realize or even consider that the wild fish they love so much are the very ones that are being relentlessly pursued day after day so close to their final spawning destination. The river is being loved to death before our eyes.

In the old days, which were not that long ago, people talked more on the water, people exchanged flies and information with total strangers, people shared runs or sections of river when they came together at the same time.  People would gladly give up or share a run as a gentleman knowing that it was not worth the conflict. They knew full well the favor would come back to them down the line.  People respected others space. The pace was more laid back.  There was room for everyone.  It is still like that in many ways and those friendly exchanges still happen don't get me wrong. But we all have to work a little harder to help keep it that way.

The dynamics of the river have just changed in many ways.  The players have changed.  A new breed of angler has come to the river.  A new generation that has no idea about the history and personalities that have made this river what it is. We all stand on the shoulders of the giants that came before us and we can never forget that. The "Me/Entitlement" generation has come and it's effects are far reaching. The youtube and How To videos of the river from a few years ago have literally gone worldwide and the river is seeing pressure like never before. People come more and more to catch fish and that was never the sole reason to fish the North Umpqua. The fish will come when they come if you put in your time. For many the catching of the fish and not the total river experience has become the goal. Turning the river into a self serving steelhead slot machine demeans the sport, the river and the legends that made her great. If you want numbers go to the Deschutes, the GR,Trinity, Klamath or Rogue.

As the years go by, the old guard is slowly dying off and with it go much of the stories, history, ethics, soul  and the very fabric that hold the river together. It doesn't have to be that way.  Do your part to have pleasant exchanges on the water. The day you save may be your own.  Lets try and keep the class and elegance of The North intact. It will take all of us to do it.  It's worth it.



Do your part out there and don't spin your wheels..........

Fished with a great friend the other day and fishing was pretty decent. We moved multiple fish and hooked one of them in a couple hours of fishing. A great time for us both to re-connect and relax, enjoying the cool of the evening and some much needed shade.Wet wading, short sleeves, shady lies and dry flies what more can you ask for?

 Just got back from a great family adventure on the John Day with Marty and Mia Sheppard and Little Creek Outfitters.  All I can say is Marty runs the tightest ship in the business.  First class all the way! Unbelievable experience on a great river with a stellar cast of characters.  World class swimming, small mouth bass everywhere and a very relaxed family vibe all combined for an amazing time. 

We all so appreciate the hard work and dedication that Marty put in to make this trip happen.  Even though Marty was technically "off", he was still "on point" and a great host and always made sure his guests had every possible thing they could ever need.  It's nice to have cocktail ice when it's 100 degrees out there! It's always a group effort on these trips but having a captain that knows and lives the outfitter experience is key.  Marty is that guy.

A great new e magazine showcasing great photography and writing on two handed fishing and casting,     

Swing The Fly

    

It was the classic comeback fly situation yesterday.  Last pool of the day, bottom of the 9th bases loaded.  We were fishing a fly we were calling Big Bird, a big yellow skater used as a searching fly. We had fished the run early in the day and had no luck.  The afternoon pass through proved to be a good move.  Doug fished through the upper section flawlessly, putting Big Bird on the mark and swinging it with a gentle twitch.  The fly reached the upper part of the glassy flat where many fish come from and we saw an almost imperceptible splash at the fly. Our eyes were bleary now from watching the fly all day, currents and ripples can sometimes fool ya. Doug said " did you see that?"   "That was so small it couldn't have been a steelhead could it'?   I said "That was him, for sure!" I said "Throw that same cast out there and see if he takes a poke at it".   Doug fires it out and nothing happens as the fly catches a current and pulls through the same spot with a little more pace this time. Nothing........ I grab his line and put on a tiny purple muddler and tell him to shorten up 10 feet.  He fires the muddler out and swings it through.  Extends 2 feet and sends it through again.  Two more feet and through again.   After the next 2 feet of line he is back out to 6 feet, still around 4 feet from where the fish showed.  This drift comes though and the line snaps tight and the reel starts screaming.  There is not a sweeter sound to be heard. The fish was not large but had the heart of a lion and almost left out the bottom of the pool on two occasions.  The fish was landed and a very satisfied smile and high five followed for both of us.  Picture perfect comeback fly hookup.

 

 Pretty tough fishing out there right now with a lot of hours between action. Not a lot of fish in the river yet. Fish good water well and keep after it and you may just be rewarded.

  John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,  and the Word was fully God. 1:2 The Word  was with God in the beginning. 1:3 All things were created  by him, and apart from him not one thing was created  that has been created.1:4 In him was life,  and the life was the light of mankind.  1:5 And the light shines on  in the darkness,  but the darkness has not mastered it. 

 

 

 

 

 

So every year I have places I want to explore on the North Umpqua. Places that I have fished before but have not fished in many years....some are harder to get to places, some are so obvious and people stumble right over them without knowing it. Places rarely fished. You may say to me, "Hey man,everything on the NU in the fly water gets fished and fished a lot" and you would be wrong. Amazingly, there are many runs and holding lies in some of the most crowded and popular sections of the river that rarely see a fly. It's true.


 People are creatures of habit and fishermen often even more so. You fish a run a certain way because that is the way it was shown to you or that is how you have seen others fish it. You fish runs the same way after that method is proven to work and fish are found. We rarely break out of a routine or pattern that has been shown to be effective. Despite thoughts to the contrary we should vary from our routine or pattern and seek out other holding lies in that run by changing our approach.  Start higher in the run than you normally do, fish lower into and through the tail into the next run. Cast farther, wade deeper, wade shallower, fish close fish far,change cast angles, mend, don't mend. All of these actions may find a fish that was not in the primary holding water. The more fish there are in a given run in the primary spots,the chance of fish holding in these secondary areas will increase dramatically. People will hammer the primary spots and the grabby fish will be plucked out if they are there fairly easily. Meanwhile, there are grabby, willing fish in secondary spots that do not see a fly due to the average fisherman's adherence to routine.

 Ever wonder why someone can come in behind you and pick up a fish? There are obviously many reasons for this including but not limited to, a new fish just pulling in, fly pattern,color and size, technique,tactics,line  used,skill, and knowledge etc. Sometimes it is sheer luck. But more often than not I believe the reason that the person who picks up a fish behind someone is that the person following watched how and where the first person fished. The person following was aware of how far the person before him was casting where he was standing. He was acutely aware of  the cast angle and other factors learned from the preceding fisherman. It is my belief that many times the following fisherman has targeted a fish holding in a secondary lie that the first fisherman did not cover. I think this happens a lot. I know it happens a lot. It has happened to me and I have caught fish behind others by observing and doing something different.

 I need to continually re-adjust and rethink the places I fish. Every year,I incorporate long lost runs of yesteryear back into my routine. There is no way I can fish all the runs I know on a regular basis so I rotate runs in and out of my routine based on water levels,crowds,fish counts,weather,and structure changes.This is a key to success and keeping the river fresh and new for me. On a river as popular as the North Umpqua, you will find that exploring new water and targeting secondary holding lies is always a good thing, it will reward the person who persists.

There is more water that holds fish than one could possibly master in a short lifetime. Go out and seek some new areas. Don't follow the sheep around fishing the same runs the same way. You will be pleasantly surprised at what you find, and what you find will include more than just new places to fish.  It will include the rich diversity of God's creation, the river, trees,creatures and wilds of a place that many dream about fishing and few get to experience. The exploration and willingness to search to find your own places to fish will make the old river become new again.

That goes for life as well.The willingness to search for the truth in a world full of untruth may also lead you to some amazing discoveries...........

^{2 Corinthians 5:17} Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.


See ya out there!